Panzerfaust
Sign in to saveThe '''''' (, or , plural: ) was a development family of single-shot man-portable anti-tank systems developed by Nazi Germany during World War II. The weapons were the first single-use light anti-tank weapons based on a pre-loaded disposable launch tube, a weapon configuration which is still used today (a contemporary example being the 84 mm AT4).
Key facts
- Weapon.image
- Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-710-0371-20, Ukraine, Ausbildung an Panzerabwehrwaffe (cropped).jpg
- Weapon.image_size
- 300
- Weapon.caption
- A German soldier aims a 30 using the integrated leaf sight.
- Weapon.origin
- Germany
- Weapon.type
- Man-portable anti-tank recoilless gun
- Weapon.is_ranged
- yes
- Weapon.is_explosive
- yes
- Weapon.service
- 1943–1945 (Germany)
- Weapon.used_by
- See Users
- Weapon.wars
- World War IIGreek Civil War
- Weapon.unit_cost
- 15–25
- Weapon.production_date
- 1942–1945
- Weapon.number
- 8,254,300 (all variants)
- Weapon.variants
- 30, 60, 100, 150, 250
- Weapon.spec_label
- Panzerfaust 60
- Weapon.length
- ~
- Weapon.sights
- Leaf
- Weapon.filling
- Shaped charge
via Wikipedia infobox
~18 min read
Encyclopedic overview
15 sectionsContents
- Development
- {{lang|de|Faustpatrone (Klein)}}
- {{lang|de|Panzerfaust (Gross)}}
- Comparison of models
- Combat use
- Germany
- Other countries
- Variants
- Related development
- Users
- See also
- References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- External links
The '''' (, or , plural: ) was a development family of single-shot man-portable anti-tank systems developed by Nazi Germany during World War II. The weapons were the first single-use light anti-tank weapons based on a pre-loaded disposable launch tube, a weapon configuration which is still used today (a contemporary example being the 84 mm AT4).
The -design consisted of a light recoilless launcher tube outfitted with a single pre-loaded high-explosive anti-tank warhead protruding from the muzzle. It was an inexpensive, easy-to-use anti-tank weapon for the common infantry man, being issued as a single unit of ammunition meant to be operated by a single soldier. Firing was done from under the arm at an upward angle as the effective firing range was barely beyond that of hand grenades ( max – although a later version produced in smaller quantity had an effective range of 100 m). After use the launcher was discarded. The Panzerfaust became one of the most effective infantry carried anti-tank systems in the war, thanks to its ease of use, low production costs and ability to defeat thick armour protection.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Panzerfaust” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.